Journey into Mystery 3
by D
Summary: Never before has Lady Thor faced a foe as dangerous as Loki, the god of mischief!


Lady Thor

A Marvelous Tale Told in the Mighty Marvel Manner!

October 2, 1962

Trapped by Loki, the God of Mischief!

Well beyond the keen of mortal man lies a place. Past time and space where heroes never die and legends never grow old is a realm unlike any other.

It is known as Asgard, the home of the gods.

Going past the fabled rainbow bridge Bifrost and the gleaming golden spires that construct this land and past the flowing brooks and outlaying countryside, one would find a tree.

This is not in of itself unusual, as trees are most common in a forest. This tree however, was most uncommon. Gnarled roots stuck out from the earth while dropping branches hung low to the ground. The bark was almost black, making the tree look like a cancerous growth in a field of green.

The reason for this was simple, although most Asgardians had long forgotten the reason.

For you see, the tree was not so much a tree, but rather a prison. Loki, the adopted son of Odin, had been imprisoned within the woods as punishment for his wicked ways. Odin had made escape almost impossible, although he did tell Loki the means to leave.

Someone from Asgard had to cry over his predicament.

It had been deemed impossible; no one, not even Loki's own kin in the giant realm of Jotunheim cared for the trickster.

Loki was a proud being. He swore that one day he would be free, and that everyone would suffer for his humiliation, his hated brother Thor most of all

So Loki had waited inside the tree. He had been there for so long that even the gnomes, who had memories as deep as their mountain lairs, had forgotten about him.

Loki was not considered a trickster for nothing though; his skills at magic had not decreased in the years since his imprisonment. Reaching out, although it took decades, he slowly took control of the tree. Granted, at most he could only move a branch or two, but it suited his purpose.

One day, Loki spied his chance for revenge. "No one would shed a tear over my plight, but I while escape this!" he thought as he heard the sound of boots walking along the path.

Heimdall, the guardian of Bifrost, made his way through the woods towards his appointed post. "By Od's ravens I must hurry!" he exclaimed as he walked. His sword clanking his armor startled the nearby forest animals as he quickened his pace. A thick piece of parchment almost slipped out his belt, causing him to stop. "I must secure this though. T'would be most unseemly if I arrived at Odin's palace missing my summons." He mused as he darted through the woods.

"Strange, yon tree seems blighted, while the rest of the woods are as strong as ever" he thought as his path put him closer to Loki's tree.

"Closer fool, closer!" Loki mentally screamed as the branches slowly drooped. Heimdall paid them no mind, until a single leaf fell from the lowest hanging branch and poked him in the eye.

"Blasted tree" he grumbled as a single tear formed and rolled down his cheek as he removed the irritant and continued on his way. He felt a sudden chill in the air as he made his through the grove, unaware of what had just happened.

As the warrior walked away, a transparent figure walked out of the tree. The figure quickly gained substance as it moved out of the woods. As it reached the forest's edge, the figure was now very much solid. "Because of my plight, I was the tree, and thus made Heimdall cry, so he cried over my plight!" Loki cackled at his plan.

Tall, dressed in green and gold, and smirking as he took in the sight of the sun on the golden towers off in the distance, Loki laughed as he walked down the dirt path.

"So, those fools thought they could imprison me, did they? I'll have my revenge on Thor for forcing me into that infernal prison!" he swore. Muttering a few incantations, he vanished in a flash of light and instantly reappeared in another section of Asgard.

Not all of Asgard was golden, and not every creature in it was friendly.

Loki gave a humorless smile as he reappeared in a blasted landscape. The land was barren, and the few pitiful trees struggled to grow in the harsh land. Loki made his way past the dead waste towards a small pool of standing water. "My brother Thor must suffer for putting me in that prison, so swears Loki!" he shouted at the land as he stood over the pool and began to weave his evil magic over it. "His hammer is made from the enchanted Uru metal, so it I command you, show me that blasted hammer!" he ordered as a vision began to form in the water.

"Blast!" he cursed as the picture swam and faded in and out. He forced himself to concentrate as he tried to make out what was being shown on the surface of the water.

The picture below was fuzzy, although he could plainly see the familiar blond hair of his adopted sibling. The picture grew cloudier as Loki tried to see; "Children?" he proclaimed as he saw the blond figure lifting a bed over the heads of several children.

Peering down his hawk-like nose, he saw people in strange dress and buildings that reached into the sky. "Curious, most curious!" he thought as he saw Thor fly out through an open window and the children waving as the red cape fluttered in the wind.

"Performing like a common clown for sickly youths? I know Odin must have punished that fool, yet I thought it would be harsher." He mused as he turned his attention away from the pond. "So, Thor calls Midgard home, eh? Then so shall Loki!" he shouted to the blackened skies. "I must take care in leaving though, as it would not do to let Heimdall know that I have escaped my bonds just yet!" he thought as his body suddenly evaporated like mist. The now shapeless being floated on the wind; past the blight it flew, past the golden spires, and even past the ever-vigilant guardian Heimdall as the latter stood at his post at the end of the Rainbow Bridge.

"Strange, it was if something…foul had gone past me." Heimdall thought as he stood at his post. "I had better keep mine eyes alert. Ever since I walked through the forest I have felt ill at ease."

Back on Earth

Lady Thor landed in the alley behind Dr. Blake's clinic. "The laughter of children makes my heart soar!" she thought as she looked around. "Yet why didist I feel a chill? There is no enemy present." She said aloud as she tapped her hammer upon the ground. With a flash the legendary god vanished instead stood the plain unassuming mortal Jane Foster.

"I feel like something is watching me" she continued her train of thought as she made her way inside the clinic. "I suppose it's just nerves." She tried to write off her feelings as Don Blake entered. His face was pale and his hands looked sweaty. "Good afternoon Dr. Blake" she said as he slowly walked towards his office. "Are you ill?"

"No, no Jane, although it's strange. Just a few moments ago I felt like someone walked on my grave." he smiled weakly as he entered his office. "Probably just breakfast disagreeing with me."

Jane said nothing as he closed the door, and went about her work. Although she couldn't help but keep her walking stick within her reach as the day progressed.

In Central Park

Near a secluded bunch a trees a wisp of smoke gathered. The smoke took on human proportions, and within seconds Loki walked upon the Earth once more.

"I see the humans have been busy in our absence." He mused as he took in the sights and sounds of New York City. "But they are still mortals."

Walking through the park, Loki became aware of the stares he was attracting. "Mayhaps my garb is too outlandish. A simple matter." He thought as he turned himself invisible with a wave of his hand. The few spectators that had been staring simply blinked and moved along, attributing it to everything from the sun to work.

Seeing a mannequin on display in a nearby store, Loki eyed the expensive suit the artificial man wore. "So, this is what men of power in this land wear? So be it." He gestured again. The black suit vanished from the dummy and reappeared on Loki. Loki himself also reappeared in the crowd, although this time he was sense enough to blanket everyone's thoughts so as not to draw any unwarranted attention.

"Now that I'm clad thusly, I must draw out my brother." He thought as he began to walk along the sidewalk, his eyes scanning the sky. "Nothing too massive, I must conserve my strength when that buffoon arrives."

Several blocks over, in Dr. Blake's clinic

"Dr. Blake, how are you feeling?" Jane asked as she put on her coat.

"Fine, Jane, fine. Like I said, it must have been something disagreeing with me." He smiled (for the first time all day, Jane noticed). Feeling bold, she stepped into the office. "Don" she said, noticing the faint blush on his face as she spoke his name, "I was free this weekend, and I"

But before she could continue with her offer, an ear splitting scream came from outside.

"What was that?" Don asked as he grabbed his medical bag and cane. Jane grabbed her cane too, although she ran out through the back rather than the front.

Don peered out into the street and almost fainted at what he saw. Down the block people were staring and gasping at the sight.

Several people had become, for lack of a better word, negative. They looked like a photo negative, with a reversed color scheme and everything. "What could have caused this?" Don wondered as he tried to force his way through the panicking mob. He noticed a sharp dressed man mulling about, smiling broadly as if everything was fine. "That man!" he thought as he tried to move past the crowds. "He's behind this, I know it!"

Meanwhile

Jane, seeing Dr. Blake rush out into the street towards the mob, knew that something was up. Grabbing her walking stick and flipping the Open sign to Closed, she darted out the back into the alley. Striking her cane once upon the pavement, she was rewarded with the familiar flash of light. The change seemed so natural now, as her clothing vanished and was replaced by the uniform. Her body quickly filled it out, giving her an almost pleasant tingling feeling as the light.

Once again, nurse Jane Foster was gone, and in her place stood Lady Thor!

Twirling her hammer, Lady Thor flew overhead and landed in the center of the mob. "Those people! Some type of sorcery no doubt." She thought as she twirled her hammer. "My hammer should easily counter the spell and return those mortals back to normal."

Twirling the enchanted hammer around, Lady Thor concentrated as she aimed the weapon at the negative people. "It should be simple enough to reverse this. The hammer should be able to remove the anti-matter particles, I hope." She thought as she let the hammer go. The mystic Uru hammer arched through the air and flew around the people. It flew faster and faster as the people slowly regained their normal properties. "Amazing; I discover something new about this thing every day!" The hammer returned to her hand as the crowds rushed around her and started to bombard her with questions.

"Great job!"

"Hey, aren't you that hero that showed up San Diablo?"

"What's your name?"

But there was one stranger, a man in a finely tailored black suit, who stared at her in shock as he pushed closer by the crowds. The stranger looked shocked as the crowd pushed around them. "By Odin's Beard!" he thought as he stared harder at the figure. "Tis the same hammer, the same attire, yet this shapely figure is not Thor!"

Pushing past the crowd, Loki strolled up to Lady Thor. "It has been a long time, has it not?" he asked as Lady Thor tried to control the crowd.

"Do I know you?" Lady Thor asked. The stranger was almost as tall as her, dressed in a finely tailored black suit. His face was lean and pointed, but there was something familiar about him.

"Perhaps Odin sired a daughter, or mayhaps my brother was cursed, but no matter. Whoever wields the power of Thor is the enemy of Loki!" he thought. "Thor, or whoever thou art, know that Loki challenges you!" the stranger shouted as his suit changed into a suit of green and gold armor. The sunlight reflected off of the golden helmet he wore as he stared at her. "Let us take yon battle elsewhere. These pathetic mortals deserve not the sight of two warriors born in combat!" he shouted back as the awning over a hotel doorway suddenly ripped free and floated over to him. Stepping on it like something out of _The Arabian Nights_, he rose into the air.

"Loki?" Lady Thor fought to recall her mythology as the grinning figure before her took the air like magic. "He was considered Thor's enemy, and a prankster too. I think he also had power over fire I think." She remembered as Loki's grinning form laughed at her from the sky. "I bet he was the one responsible for changing those people!" she realized as she swung her hammer. "Stand back citizens, and let Lady Thor handle this miscreant!" she shouted as she twirled her hammer around and took off into the sky. "Whoever he is, I can't let his challenge go by." She thought as she hurtled through the air.

Loki floated high above the street as he saw 'Lady Thor' take flight, much in the same manner his brother used to do. "Interesting, although I doubt the fool has mastered the hammer like brother did! Although she might immortal like myself, I know that my magic can't effect her, and physical combat would be foolish." he thought as goddess of thunder flew through the air like a missile. "It should be child's play to place her under my mental control." He thought as Lady Thor was quickly covering the distance between them. "The light shines off of her hammer into her eyes" he observed, "if I combine my hypnotic eye with that rhythm of light I should have no problem forcing her to my will!" he gloated as he reached into his belt and pulled out a small charm. As Lady Thor flew through the sky he flashed the trinket at her, catching the light on the hammer and reflecting it into her eyes.

"You are under my spell." He spoke softly as a look of confusion went across Lady Thor's face. "Your will is my will."

"I…am under…your spell," She repeated as she stared at the light. "My will is your will." She said as her hammer slowed down causing her to drop to the ground over Central Park.

She landed on her feet with little difficultly as Loki glided down before her. "That hammer!" he mused as he stared at her, "It is the source of Thor's power, but thanks in part to that blasted spell only a few can wield it!" Loki cursed, as Lady Thor stood motionless. "I have it!" he exclaimed as an idea came to him.

Focusing his mind, Loki pictured his brother Thor as he remembered him. Concentrating like never before he weaved the mystic energies at his disposal, summoning forth mist. The mist took a solid shape, the air becoming flesh, the smoke becoming cloth, until a man stood before him.

The man was tall, blond, and clad in the same armor as Lady Thor. It was none other than Thor, or at least a near perfect replica.

"This is Thor, the true owner of your mallet. He wants his property back, and you must give it to him." Loki cajoled. Lady Thor looked at the double with a glassy eyed stare as she handed the mystic hammer over to the copy.

"I must give it back to him." She said with no emotion as the faux god took the hammer in his hand.

Loki cackled as he copy took the hammer away and swung it around. "Perfect!" he laughed. "This is even better than I dare dream!" Turning his attention back to Lady Thor, he issued one command. "You are very thirsty. Go walk into that lake." He ordered as he left with his copy of Thor.

Lady Thor said nothing as she turned sharply and walked. She walked right into the lake but she continued. Loki stood watching as she waded out up to her waist, then her shoulders, until her head was completely covered by the water.

"Good riddance!" he proclaimed as he took the air with the phony Thor.

Now, had Loki bothered to stay by the water's edge for another sixty seconds, he would have been rewarded with the sight of Jane Foster emerging from the cold water.

Gagging, and spitting the pond water out of her mouth, Jane looked around in bewilderment. "What happened?" She wondered as she dragged herself to shore. "I remembered going after Loki, then" she tried to think what happened next as she heard people screaming from the far shore.

Wringing herself dry, Jane jogged towards the commotion. She saw the front gate of the Central Park Zoo before her as she quickened her pace. People were running out and in a general panic as she approached. "What's going on?" she asked a nearby zoo worker.

"Some nutty guy with a hammer showed up and started to open all the cages!" he yelled as he tore himself free from her and ran back into the crowd.

"Loki!" she realized as she dashed past the crowds and into the center of the madness.

"Amusing, but I grow weary of this." Loki thought as he ordered the phony Thor to demolish more animal cages. Ignoring the ferocious lions that growled at him. Looking at the doppelganger, he snapped his fingers. "Begone!" he ordered.

The faux Thor, his expression never changing, dropped his hammer and vanished back into the nothingness that formed him.

"If only I could rid myself of the real article in a like manner." Loki laughed as he spied the hammer. It had fallen when the illusion vanished. "Hmm, perhaps I should rid myself of that meddlesome tool." He thought as he walked over and lightly kicked the hammer. It didn't budge as he turned away. "No, there is no force in all of creation that can move it, and I doubt my idiot brother is going to arrive anytime soon." He laughed at the image of mortals trying to life the hammer of Thor. "Impossible!"

"This place no longer holds any interest for me." He said as he looked around the ruined zoo. "I think I shall exit for more lively pursuits."

Concentrating, Loki stood perfectly still as pigeons flew down to land at his feet. More and more birds flew, until there was giant living carpet of pigeons at his feet. "This will do, now take me away. These mortals must have built something worthwhile on this boring rock." He spat as the living carpet took flight and carried him away.

He took off through the air as Jane arrived. Monkeys were busy climbing over the benches, while lions and tigers roamed the empty walkways as she carefully entered the zoo. Seeing the hammer simply laying out in the open, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's still there! I have to get to it in time and stop that manic!" she thought as she dashed out towards the weapon. A loud roaring behind her made her pause.

A lion strolled out into the open not far from her. Jane skittered on the grass as she saw the king of the jungle eyeing her like a rump roast. The lion roared as it stalked towards her. Jane, thinking more on instinct than anything else, jumped.

As her fingers grazed the tip of the hammer, the lion jumped. The beast, thinking it would have an easy meal, was surprised as a bolt of lighting shot out of the sky and enveloped the human.

Instead of the crouching form of Jane Foster, there again was now Lady Thor. The lion, unable to change its course mid-flight, bounced off the goddess and hit the ground. Dazed, it shook its head before settling on more easy prey.

Shaking her head, Lady Thor stared into the distance. "Loki's heading towards midtown. I have to stop him before he harms anymore people!" she swore as she twirled her hammer and took into the sky.

Meanwhile

Loki stared over the teeming masses. "This is all these fools have accomplished?" he sneered at the skyscrapers and the autos below. "They are not even worth my time."

"Loki!" he heard a familiar voice cry.

"You again?" he wondered as he ordered his ride down into the street. Looking back, he saw Lady Thor hot in pursuit. "Very well 'Little Sister', perhaps we should play a game? This one was always one of my favorites!" he shouted back as he nimbly leapt from the collected flock of birds and dashed into a crowded movie theater.

"Oh no, I have to stop him! Innocent mortals could be hurt!" Lady Thor panicked as she landed and followed him, ignoring the protesting cries of the ticket collector.

Pushing her way through the crowd, she spied Loki standing near the screen. The people in the audience were clapping, as if this was simply a show to them.

"Hold villain!" Lady Thor demanded as she swung her hammer and flew past the cheering crowd.

"What kind of crazy show is this?" one of the spectators asked.

"Who cares, it's better than what we were going to see anyway!" his date shot back as she clapped along with the crowd.

Loki gave a showman's smile as Lady Thor stomped on the stage. "Behold mortals, nothing in my hands, and nothing in my sibling's head!" he laughed as he gestured towards the red velvet curtain. Before Lady Thor could move, the thick piece of cloth ripped free of its rod and wrapped around her. Her cries were muffled under the thick cloth. Turning to the applauding crowd, he took a bow before whistling. The pigeons flew in through the open doors and reformed into the living carpet.

As he rode the beasts away, Lady Thor ripped her way free. Ignoring the catcalls and laughter at her predicament, she was once again in her pursuit.

Loki ordered his living carpet to go higher as he caught sight of something off in the distance. "What's this? A statue in the harbor?" he wondered as he ordered his birds to carry him. "Perhaps yonder statue shall provide me with some entertainment!" he thought, as ideas began to swarm through his head.

"Loki!" a familiar voice ordered from below.

"What? Does this imposter never learn?" Loki wondered as he saw Lady Thor soaring through the sky after him.

"I can't risk another frontal assault." Lady Thor thought as she suddenly dropped her hammer and landed on the ground. Looking around, she saw a crew of workmen standing around near a section of road under construction. "Pardon me good citizen" she began as she strolled over to foreman. "I am in need of yon pipe."

The foreman looked over before checking out the lengths of pipe that were piled near the road. "Sure thing toots, sure." He said as Lady Thor walked past him and lifted one of the larger pipes with one hand. "No problem" he said as the color drained from his face when he saw Lady Thor effortlessly toss the pipe into the air.

"I hope my aim is as good as my strength!" Lady Thor prayed as she tossed the pipe at the retreating form of Loki. The pipe section hurtled through the air towards its target…

Loki heard a whistling sound as he looked back. "What in all the lands?" he asked before the pipe connected with him at a speed that would have turned a mortal into paste. Loki was thrown back with a sick 'crack' as he was thrown back. The pigeons scattered, as his control was broken. Loki plummeted through the air, dazed as he tried to think of a spell. He hit the air with a splash and did not surface.

"I had better save him. I couldn't stand by and let someone die, even they have caused me nothing but grief." Lady Thor thought as she dived into the water after Loki. Kicking with her powerful legs, she cut through the water like a knife until she spotted the gold armor of Loki. Slipping up behind him, she wrapped one arm around him, pinning both arms to his side. "I noticed he made some kind of gesture with his hands before he did a spell. If I bind his arms, that should prevent him from doing any tricks." She thought as she broke the surface.

"You would save me?" Loki gasped as he spat out the seawater.

"Yes, I could not stand by and let even someone as foul as you die." Lady Thor said as she twirled her hammer with one hand.

"Wait, where are you taking me?" Loki demanded as he tried in vain to break Lady Thor's grasp.

"You'll see" was the reply as Lady Thor took to the air once again. They soared for several blocks until they came to a large building. Loki was unfamiliar with the structure, but Lady Thor (as Jane Foster) was not. The Empire State Building shown like a beacon on the New York skyline as Lady Thor settled down upon the very top of the observation deck.

"You make for a pretty poor Fay Wray" she joked as she hooked her hammer to Loki's tunic, "and I am no ape, right now we're going to reenact a scene from my favorite movie!" she joked as she started to twirl the hammer faster and faster.

"What? What madness are you talking about?" Loki almost screamed as he spun along with the hammer.

"I'm tossing you out of town buddy, to the farthest reaches of space!" she shouted as she let the hammer go. Loki uttered several curses as he was yanked along for the ride. As he faded away to a dot upon the horizon, Lady Thor felt a strange feeling as the hammer quickly retuned, sans its passenger.

"Loki-the god of mischief and evil." She mused as she took the hammer in her hand (thankful that it returned before the full sixty seconds were up). "Why did Loki seem to know me?" she wondered as she once again let the hammer and tagged along. "This power, this hammer, is it mine?" she wondered as she landed back in the familiar alleyway. "I'll have to do some more research." Ignoring the crowds below her feet, she set off once again into the sky.

Meanwhile

Loki dusted himself off as he stood up. A crowd had gathered around him as the hammer had brought him back and deposited him like so much trash. "Look, Thor's hammer!" one onlooker cried, sending a ripple of excitement through the crowd.

Loki smirked as he looked over the crowd. They were quite pleased at seeing his misfortune, but he was content to let them think that. "I must give my father this wonderful bit of news." He thought as he simply walked away from the jeering crowd. "After all, 'tis not everyday when one loses a son but gains a daughter. I wonder how the Lady Sif will take it?" he almost laughed out loud at the sight. "Hmm, no matter. I think I should bypass these fools and take my news straight to the Highfather's ears." He chuckled again as he walked away. "But not just yet; nay, news like this must age first. I'll let that foolish 'sister' of mine have her fun, but it will be Loki who has the last laugh. And to think, this time I shall speak the truth, and only the truth!" Loki laughed at the irony.

Back on Earth

"I wonder where I sent him? Was it to another planet?" Lady Thor thought as she touched down again behind the clinic. Tapping her hammer again against the ground, she was rewarded with the sensation of the power leaving her. Her hair darkened and shortened, her armor vanished, only to be replaced by her normal clothes, and her hammer once again became a walking stick.

"I hope Don still has that book on Norse legends." She thought as she slipped in through the back way. She almost gasped in surprise when she saw Dr. Blake standing there, and he did not look happy.

"Ms. Foster, where did you go?" he demanded, his tone colder than the water in Central Park. "We had an emergency out there you know. Why did you switch the sign?"

"I'm sorry Doctor." She said, trying to sound apologetic. "But there were so many people, and those strange people showed up and started fighting, how could we handle that with our equipment?"

"We're both medical professionals. It's out sworn duty to help those in distress, and I'd say being changed into anti-matter counts as being in distress." He almost shouted. Calming down, he looked directly at her. "I'm very disappointed in you Jane."

"I'm sorry Doctor Blake" Jane said, feeling rather angry with the man. Gripping the walking stick in her hand, she was tempted to change in front of him, but she stopped herself before she brought the stick down. How could she explain her actions?

Don looked at her, then at the stick. He blinked, as if remembering something. "I suppose you were right in the end. You know, that's the third time I've seen that Lady Thor." He mused, his earlier outburst forgotten.

"Lady Thor?" Jane questioned, trying to feign ignorance.

"There is something about her" he trailed off, a faraway look in his eyes. "Something almost familiar, but I can't put my finger on it."

"Does he care about her, and not me?" Jane worried, seeing the object of her desires slipping into another woman's grasp. Shaking her head, she brushed past him and went back to her desk. "No, that's silly." She thought as she tried to get back to work. "I have to figure out how I can explain, without blowing my cover."

As the patients filtered in from the street, she went back to work, the battle and argument forgotten. The day dragged on, with the usual amount of patients that resulted from a citywide panic. The day dragged on as Jane tried to find some time to research the legend of Thor, but it always seemed just as she was about to find the right book, someone would come in and she was back at the start again. "How does Don do it?" she wondered as she helped the patients into the office.

At the end of the day, Jane let out a sigh of relief as she locked the front door. "Going home?" Don asked as he slipped on his coat.

"Yes doctor, I was. Say, do you still have that book of the Norse legends?"

Don was taken aback by the question, but he nodded yes as he took it out of his coat pocket. "As a matter of fact, yes. That man that caused that, whatever it was, called himself 'Loki', and that name sounded familiar."

"Oh, really?" Jane asked, pretending to be innocent as she grabbed her cane. "I was wondering if I could borrow it. I heard something about a 'Lady Thor' on the news today. Isn't it exciting? All these new heroes showing up, gods and monsters fighting out before our very eyes?" she almost gushed as she took the book.

"I suppose that's one way to look at it. Frankly this whole thing makes me nervous. Those two today didn't seem to care if anyone got hurt in their fight." Don sniffed as he made his way towards the back door. "Keep the book. I'll see you tomorrow." He said as he left.

"He said so little to me today, does he suspect?" she wondered as she exited out the same door a few moments later and locked it. "That look in his eyes, does he hate Lady Thor? Or me?" she wondered as she started down at the stick. For all the wonderful power it had given her, it had not made her life any easier.

"Was it fate? Was I suppose to find this hammer, or was the power meant for someone else?" she thought as she looked up at the Manhattan skyline. It offered no answers as she started towards home.

Back in Asgard

Loki was quickly drawing a crowd as he walked through the golden streets. He overheard the whispers behind his back as he strode towards the palace of Odin. "Halt villain!" he heard a commanding voice shout behind him.

Turning, he saw a trio of armed men standing before him. The lead was a dashing man with hair as gold as the walls around them. Resting his hand upon his sword, the man glowered at the trickster.

"I know not how thou escaped thay confines, but rest assured Fandral shall send thee to Hela's realm if thou plan any trickery!" he swore as he drew his blade.

"Aye, and thou shall contend with Hogun's mace as well!" the hooded warrior next to him stated as he gripped the weapon in his fist.

"Fellows, have thou forgotten thy most powerful member? Volstagg the Mighty will send yon dog scurrying back to his hole with but a single blow of my sword!" a man with a gut nearly equal to his two companions combined boasted as he stood behind Hogun.

Loki snickered at the trio as he held up his hands. "The only 'might' you possess Volstagg is your stomach. As for your other two, quell yon boasts. I seek no battle, but merely wish an audience with my most beloved father, as is the right of any son" he spoke, while thinking: "the **only** son of Odin, if I may add."

The warriors were not convinced. "If you wish to speak with thy father, we shall not interfere. But be warned, if there be any tricks, yon wall shall see an addition of a new head at it's base." Hogun growled as he kept his mace at the ready.

"Duly noted 'Hogun the Grim'" Loki mocked the stoic warrior as he made his way as the palace guards unhindered

Throwing himself down upon his knees as he entered the throne room, he bowed his head to the tiled floor as Odin gazed down on him with his one eye. "So, I see thou has escaped thy prison Loki. Tell me, has the time imprisoned done anything to alter thy hate?"

Loki gazed up, his eyes hopeful and his tone earnest. "All praise the All-Father! All praise Odin the Mighty!" he worshiped as he bowed his head even lower, until the horns on his helmet touched the floor.

"Enough of your empty praises." Odin ordered. "Tell me, what brings you here Loki, son of Laufey? I brought you in from the battlefield and raised you as my own, yet you constantly wage war upon me and my people. Why should I not simply imprison you again?"

"Because father" Loki implored, "I have just come from Midgard with most distressing news about Thor!"

Odin's ears perked up at the mention of his lost son. "Thor? Has something befallen my son?"

"Oh father, such news I dare not say aloud!" Loki said as he approached the throne. Two massive wolves, which sat at the base of the throne, growled at his movement.

"Freki, Geri, heel!" Odin ordered as Loki walked up the steps. "Tell me Loki, tell me what thou has seen."

Gently, Loki came in close and whispered into Odin's ear. Odin's one eye blazed like a star as he heard Loki's words. "Impossible!" he shouted as he almost leapt from the throne. Turning his attention to two ravens that sat perched nearby, he turned them both loose. "Huginn and Munnin shall tell me if thy words are true. Be warned, if they report otherwise, then your life shall be forfeit!"

The two ravens took off faster than any eye, mortal or immortal, could follow. Within in moment, they returned to their master's perch. Odin, his face troubled, listened to the creature's report. He grew pale as he turned to Loki. "You speak the truth." He said without emotion. "Another wields the power of my son."

"It was as I said Milord" Loki, his voice and tone even, bowed as he left the throne.

"Fetch me Lady Sif. She and her children must be made aware of this." Odin ordered to a gaggle of pages. Turning towards Loki, his face grew dark. "Loki, if I find thy hands were involved in this…" he warned.

"I am as innocent as the day is bright father!" Loki protested. "I have learned the wickedness of my ways, and only wish to see you happy!"

Odin said nothing, although Loki could tell his words had some effect. "Yes, for once, my idiot brother shall be my greatest ally" Loki smiled inwardly. "His absence shall allow my plans to grow and take root." Loki thought as he quietly slipped into the background. "I know not who that mortal wench be, but she shall serve my plans in ways she could not dream of!"

The end

Journey Into a Mailbox

And welcome to the third issue! Well, things have been getting wild, aren't they? This story is based on "Trapped by Loki, the God of Evil", which was published in Journey Into Mystery #85 (October 1962) with Stan Lee (writer) Jack Kirby (art) Dick Ayers (ink) and Art Simek (letters).

Yes, this was the first appearance of Loki, and I should note that from here there are going to be some changes to the overall continuity. I'll be going more according to the original Norse myths in regards to the gods of Asgard. I don't want to spoil anything, but let's just say things are going to be interesting.

On to the fan mail!

From Ace fan at the Dungeon, Tiffani

_I liked the pacing and the dialogue you used in this story. You've__  
done a great job again. Thanks for sharing_

Thanks Milady, I do try.

From one of my biggest supporters of this series, Zespara

_Very nice job on the JOM series thus far. I love that fact that__  
when Jane is Lady Thor that her speech pattern is in Shakespearean  
mode already (unlike the series which happened much later). The  
bravado of Lady Thor during her soliloquy to the villains may have  
her puzzled but it's just the spirit of Thor channeling through her._

I cannot wait until her meeting with Loki if only to see the  
reactions of both of them. Of course, it will be fantastic whenever  
LT finally makes her first visit to Asgard and perhaps realizes the  
truth to her situation involving the hammer and Don Blake. What  
will she do when she finds this out? This should make for some  
great storytelling.

Thanks for a fantastic story thus far and good writing.

Thanks for picking up on that. Yes, what will Jane do when she finally sets foot in Asgard? And what will she do when she meets Lady Sif? Wait and see readers, wait and see. To everyone else, many thanks for writing in with your comments, but space is running out this month.

Next issue, see Lady Thor battle The Tomorrow Man!

In Sensational Comics #3, see The Hulk battle the Circus of Crime as Dr. Marks sets in motion a plan to rid the world of the Hulk forever!

In Tales to Astonish #2, watch in horror as Ant-Man must survive the deadliest killer alive as he finds himself face to face with Comrade X!


End file.
